UPDATE 1-Bayer sues Lupin over generic birth control pill

FRANKFURT, Nov 29 (Reuters) - German drugmaker Bayer
has filed a lawsuit in the United States against
Indian generic drug maker Lupin, to prevent it from
selling a version of Bayer's birth-control pill Natazia in the
U.S.

In the lawsuit, filed on Nov. 28, Bayer said that Lupin is
preparing to bring a copy of the Natazia pill, also called
Qlaira, to U.S. markets even though Bayer's U.S. patent on the
pill runs through 2026.

The complaint said Bayer would be entitled to an award of
damages and treble damages for any commercial sales of the
generic product.

Lupin declined to comment on the lawsuit. "We do not comment
on on-going litigations as a matter of policy," said Lupin
spokesperson Shamsher Gorawara.

Natazia is approved in the U.S. as a contraceptive and for
the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding.

Birth-control is one of the most important businesses for
Bayer's pharmaceuticals arm, with contraceptive sales of 1.1
billion euros in 2011.

Bayer Pharma AG v Lupin Ltd. and Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc.
(Case 1:12-cv-01592-UNA) was filed with the U.S. District Court,
District of Delaware.